A treatise of the right way fro[m] danger of sinne & vengeance in this wicked world, vnto godly wealth and saluation in Christe. Made by Th. Leuer, and now newly augmented. Seene and allowed, according to the order appointed.

CHAP. VIII.

All good things bee giuen of God vnto man in Christ, seene by the light of the Gospell, and re∣ceyued by Fayth.

CHriste by his owne perfecte obedience, oblatiō & sacrifice once for all, hath purchased of God vnto them y^t beléeue truly in him suche forgiue∣nes of sins, such bearing with infirmities, & such gracious goodnesse, y^t they shall not bée charged for not fulfilling the lawe, beyng a yoke to heauie to be borne of mans infirmi∣tie, but they shal be commēded, and rewar∣ded as kéepers of Gods commaundement by reason of Faith, that woorketh by chari∣tie: he hathe so abolisht sacrifices & ceremo∣nies, that now vnto the Faithfull there re∣maineth no darknesse vnder shadowes and figures, but great abundance of most com∣fortable light in spirit and truthe. For whē as he had put awaye and abolished figures and shadows fully and clerely performing the truth in bodily presence, then did hée in body ascende from the earth to bée glorified

in heauen, so as all Faithfull in euery place vppon earth might haue a more comforta∣ble and commodious presence of Chryste with them in spirite, than coulde haue con∣tinued vnto some men in any one place in body.

So nowe the mercifull goodnesse of God, is in many things by many meanes so sig∣nified, as after a sort it might bée spied and perceiued: but in Christe only so promysed and perfourmed, and by preaching of the Gospell through power of the spirite so re∣uealed & offered, as vnto saluation it may be receyued and enioyed.

Seing therfore, that it hath pleased God to graunt & giue vnto man in Christe, after suche sorte all treasures, man can haue no néede, nor shuld not haue any will or desire to take any thing either of any other persō, or els after any other sort or fashion. For it is an abhominable contempt of God to dis∣dain any thing fréely offred of him, & to seke or desire the same or a worse to be gotten and purchased of any other. It is a spitefull mocking of Christe, to say, that any thing may be graunted and gotten by some other meane, which Christ did purchase and buy

with his precious bloud: as though Christe had not so well and wisely bestowed hys bloodsheding, as some other might haue be∣stowed some meaner thing. Some men imagin that they néed not for euery thing to call vpon Christ, and that they shoulde not themselues presume to pray vnto God, but rather humble them selues in praying to saincts, to be mediators for them vnto god. These mens presumptuous arrogancie is abhominable afore the face of God, for that they wil not know themselues to be so vile and sinfull, that none other can bée able, or méete to bring them vnto God, or by anie meane to purchase vnto them any thing of GOD, but onely Christe by his precious bloud. They doe imagine after a worldelie fashion, GOD to be like a proud Prince, whiche woulde haue suters to speake vnto his seruants: and so in iudging of God con∣trary vnto al examples & doctrine in Gods word, they dare not take the way in at the dore, by the which all faithful be called and receiued as Gods fréendes, but in bold and blinde presumption, to climbe ouer other∣wayes, deserue to bée repulsed and throwē downe, as despisers of Gods grace, brea∣kers

of his ordinances, and traytours vnto his maiesty. For god is robbed of his honor due to his maiesty, by such as presume con∣trary to the truth of his holie word to iudge him like vnto proud princes of this wicked worlde. And saincts departing from hence, be not put in office and placed afore God to bee hearers and offerers of men and their prayers. For onely Christe, whiche is the dore of grace, euer standing open vnto all faythfull, is sufficient to bée mediatour be∣tween God and mā in this matter of pray∣er, to bring & present men and their pray∣ers afore the face of GOD. And so Paul 1. Timoth. 2. witnesseth, whereas hée spea∣king of prayer, sayeth: There is one God, and one mediator betwixt God and man, euen the man Christe Iesus. Nothing that is good can be giuen of any but of God one∣ly. God gyueth nothing by force but by fa∣uour. Nothing can purchase man fauour with God, but onely Chrystes precyous bloud. And they onely bée redemed and re∣stored vnto Gods fauour by Iesu Christes bloud, whiche faythfully receyue Chrystes Gospell. Therefore to séeke or looke for re∣mission of any sins, for any gracious gifts,

or for any good thing of any other than of God, or by any other mean than by faith in Christ, according to y^e gospel of christ, is an vnthākfull refusing of the liuing god, of his gracious goodnesse, and of sauing health in Christe, to deserue by so doyng, vengeance with the worlde, & damnation with diuels.

For they that will forsake mercy, shall not escape vengeaunce, they that will not come vnto Christe, shall goe vnto the De∣uill. For as there is no other way vnto the father, but by him, so what other way so euer any man taketh, hée falleth into the handes of the deuill from him.